For entities that depend on commodities in their commercial endeavors, it is critical to understand the factors that affect the development, procurement and use of commodities. For example, producers and purchasers of grain and other types of growing crops need to track, evaluate and manage factors such as seasonal changes, weather conditions, infestation, and other conditions that may affect the viability and available supplies of such crops. The tools and techniques employed to monitor commodities are generally insufficient, however, for performing effective and efficient evaluations of commodity condition.
For example, aerial photography is one way to monitor commodity conditions, such as the growth of grain or other crops. An aircraft can be flown along a travel route over a geographic area containing crops, and photographs of the crops can be taken at a discrete set of sampling locations along the route of the aircraft. The time and energy that the aircraft spends in transit between different sampling locations is often wasted, however, because no structured data collection or evaluation of crop condition occurs during this transit time. In addition, there is usually no analytical approach to planning and executing the travel route to be taken by the aircraft across the geographic area of interest.
In view of the foregoing issues, more effective strategies, tools and techniques are needed to improve the ability of commodity producers and commodity purchasers, among others, to evaluate commodity conditions.